Worrying
by Sarcastic Musician
Summary: Natasha must go on a solo mission. There is a bit of jealousy with an original character if you want to see it that way. While Nat's gone, Clint and Pepper talk about worrying. A surprise revelation helps sooth Pepper's worries. Natasha/Clint & Pepper/Tony


_Hey! So this is my second Avengers fic. I'm still trying to get into these characters so I apologize if they are OC. Please read and review, its the only way I can figure out what you the readers like, and what I'm doing well on adn what still needs improvement._

_Pairings: Natasha/Clint & Pepper/Tony  
_

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Clint's POV

In a rare moment of unity, the team, including Pepper, is sitting around the overly-lavish living room of Stark tower for an impromptu poker night. In all honesty it had begun as an attempt at meddling by Stark, but somehow became a very competitive -on Stark's part- game.

Mocking the High stakes Poker on late night TV, Tony had insisted we all wear sunglasses, ever the suspicious one Nat made sure none of them were reflective enough to show the wearer's cards, before begrudgingly agreeing with a gentle laugh.

God, I love her laugh.

Anyway…and hour or so into the game, the thunderous voice of Director Fury resounded throughout the room, startling Bruce and causing his latest bet to spill around the table. Standing up as if nothing had occurred, Nat and I walk over to the floating screen holding the image of the director's face. Collecting themselves, the rest of the Avenger's follow, while Pepper takes the time to order dinner.

"Director Fury." Natasha greets, as I watch amazed and bothered, as the easy going expression melts from her face, leaving the professional, non-emotional mask takes its place.

Effectively ignoring the rest of us Fury locks his eye with Natasha and begins, "Black Widow, you are needed in Boston. It seems an old…acquaintance has plans for the city." Pictures of an middle-aged locking man with light blonde hair and dark eyes fill another floating screen.

"Anton Vikhrov. What is the damage?" She demands, a glint in her eye.

Fury nods to someone off camera and five more screens appear, each showing a different news channel. Four of them centered on the smoky destruction of differing places with the same amount of damage. The fifth screen showed a Boston reporter, speaking of the upcoming meeting to be held inside the Ritz-Carlton.

"We have considerable reason to believe Vikhrov, is creating these weapons of destruction and distributing them to anti-Allies nations. As you can see the devastation is great. Agent Green will be arriving in the next twenty minutes to fly you to Boston. I expect you to get in, finish the job, and get back before the morning meeting he has planned."

Nodding her head in agreement, Natasha rushes to get her weapons and outfit together.

"What about me, sir?" I ask, unwilling to let Nat go in alone

"This is Agent Romanoff's case, Barton. I am confident she will get the job done and be back with Agent Green by early morning." He replied annoyed

Ignoring the looks from the others I continue, "Sir, with all due respect. I have been her partner for ten years now. Not to mention I was on the Valhrov case, also."

"Which has everything to do with why she must go alone, or go at all, if I remember it correctly." Fury responded in a clipped tone.

We share a glare before the screen goes black. Stepping away from it, I resume my seat on the couch and wait to see what Nat will wear this time.

As horrible as her job is, mainly for my own sanity –watching your girlfriend seduce other men is not good for anyone's mental health- it is always nice to see her dressed up. To be honest, even wearing sweat pants and an old t-shirt she could still take my breathe away. Especially if it's my t-shirt. Cue overly-romantic violin music, God she'd kill me if she heard me this sappy.

As Pepper finished the Chinese order in the kitchen, the rest of the guys took their usual seats waiting to wish Nat luck and for Pepper to finish.

"Hey Pepper, zip this for me?" Nat requested walking into the kitchen.

"Sure. Wow that looks amazing on you!" Pepper exclaimed as Natasha spun.

"Gun check, any visible?" She asked to the room as she entered the living room with Pepper in tow.

Spinning around in the dark dress, it's all I can do to keep the smile from my face. Scanning for any hints of weapons, I am relieved when I see none.

"Nope, you're good Nat." I say calmly.

Glancing at the others to make sure I hadn't missed one –like that's possible- I watch in amusement and a bit of jealousy as they stare. Surprisingly, Stark is the first one to stop, and agree with me. While the others were stuck stumbling for words.

"Are you ready, Natasha?" A foreign voice asks from the door way.

Sending an eye roll to the group, Nat spins around and greets him, "Agent Green, I assume the jet has been checked?"

"Of course, I thought I told you to call me George?" He said with a smile as his eyes roamed other places than her own.

"And I thought I told you to call me Agent Romanoff, but I guess neither of us will get what we want." She replies with a smirk, as she follows behind him out the door.

Getting up moments later I follow them. Before I can get two steps out the door, Nat's lips are on mine. My mind goes blank as I push her against the wall to deepen it.

Pulling away, a smile graces her lips, "I figure, if I'm going to go through hours with Green and then Valkhrov I was going to need some…inspiration. At least I can kill Valkhrov, I have to actually make sure Green lives!" She finishes a hint of mock annoyance in her voice.

"Well, a little flesh wound wouldn't kill him." I suggest back with a smile.

Leaning in for a chaste kiss, I let her go.

"Mouth wash better be the first thing handed to me when I get back, remember his teeth?" She joked walking up the stairs to the pad. I listen as the plane takes off. And the wait begins.

Minute one found me and the others sitting around playing poker once again. Though the game lost its appeal as Nat wasn't around to threaten Tony in creative ways for looking at her cards.

At the first hour, we decided to end our tournament, allowing Thor to keep all the pop tart pieces we had been using as chips. Within moments the Chinese had been delivered and we all settle into our places along the couches digging into the boxes.

"I'm guessing Natasha doesn't like Agent Green." Tony interrupted the silence.

I smirk before answering, "Not as much as he likes her."

"She's leaving on a Jet plane, gonna make out with Agent Green!" Tony tried to sing to the tune of "Leaving on a Jet Plane."

"I doubt it." I say after swallowing a bite of orange chicken.

"How can you be so sure?" Tony questioned in a strange mix of teasing and honesty.

"She's not really the type to cheat." I say calmly.

Truth be told, it wasn't such an impromptu announcement, we had talked about telling the team for a few weeks now. We came to the conclusion of if either of us couldn't deal with not telling anymore then we would, and the other would be fine. Quite frankly, it may not seem like it to the others but all this talk about Agent Green was about as much as I could take.

Silence washed over the group.

"Okay let me get this straight; because I'm pretty sure I just won a bet. You two are dating, right?" Tony asked with the eagerness of a child on Christmas.

Raising an eyebrow in amusement and answer, he jumped from his seat demanding ten dollars from each of the others, excluding Pepper who just rolled her eyes and shot an apologetic look.

Claiming to be right back, Tony followed the other to their rooms to collect his winnings.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Pepper cleared her throat. "You guys aren't only dating are you?"

Glancing up in shock at the question, I can't help the smile from forming on my lips. Finally I was able to tell someone and finally Nat wouldn't have to hide something this important from her friend.

Pulling the ring from my pocket I showed her with a smile.

"I'm so happy for you guys!" She said, quickly pulling me into a hug.

I hug her back with a smile of relief.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Tony's teasingly jealous voice rang through the air.

"Stealing you're girlfriend, what do you think I'm doing?" I reply with a smirk as I release Pepper, whose waste is immediately wrapped in Tony's arm to pull her to his side.

Giving Pepper silent permission to spill the secret, both wanting to see how she would tell, and not really feeling like telling myself.

"Why didn't you tell me they were married!" Pepper exclaimed, "Mister I'm so cool I know their dating and can invent robots. I'm sorry honey, but you couldn't even see the wedding bells." She finished with mock pity.

"Wait a minute you and Natasha are married?" Steve asked, once again I saw the look of guilt in his eyes.

I smile my reassurance that it was alright, knowing he wouldn't let himself off the hook until he apologizes to Nat.

"Many congratulations to you and the Lady Widow." Thor's booming voice announced.

More congratulations were offered as Stark argued with JARVIS on him not being able to get the information.

The argument ended with Stark and the other guys' need for "a drink or a thousand, after that revelation."

Thus hour four saw Pepper and I sitting on the couches once again. The news still playing in the background muted.

"Just to be clear, Nat wanted to tell you. We just weren't sure how to bring it up." I say trying to ensure Natasha would still have a friend when she got back.

"Oh that's alright; I know you are both private people. Besides there had to be discretion for your careers' sake, I'm sure." She answered with a friendly smile.

"Thanks for understanding."

"So how long?" She asks excitedly, scooting closer on the couch.

"Four years last month." I reply, with another smile, thinking back to the day.

"Wow. I would ask for details, but I'm going to need to hear something from Natasha so I'll wait." Pepper reasoned, "Besides I'm also going to need to see her ring."

Looking over her shoulder to the screens, she froze for a moment. "How do you deal with it?" She questions softly.

Thinking up the strongest thing to say, I replied, "I just do. I know she's capable and far stronger than most of the things out there. I just trust that she'll always be okay. I mean, over the years we've both had plenty of close calls, but even if we wanted to give into the pain we always swore we'd never hurt each other like that." I say, staring blankly at the building Nat was most likely in by now.

"Well that's good." Pepper says distractedly

"You want the truth?" The question brought her eyes to mine, "The truth is, this is freakin' killing me. As I'm sure it was killing her when I went on that solo mission a few weeks ago. But something tells me she is fine, there is a sort of bond or something that lets me know she's not injured." I say trying to sort out how to put it into words, but her look of understanding tells me it is enough.

"How can you stand not being there with her?" Pepper questions, if anyone else had asked I'd probably take my worry out on them. But Pepper is in the same boat as me most of the time. She has to sit and wait for him, while Stark is out fighting.

"Well I always am with her, and she's always with me. It sounds sappy, I know. But…okay you see this ring," I say pulling it out of my pocket and placing it on the coffee table, "enemies could take it, or it could fall off in a fight. But this" I say showing her the small tattoo on my left ring finger, "this they can't take away. Nat has one too, and no matter what we have each other with us." I say fumbling with the ring again.

"That's beautiful." She says with a watery smile, the stress must be catching up with her.

Quickly tucking the ring back into my pocket, I lean to give my sister figure a hug in comfort.

"Oh God not again. First I have to ride in the 'love' jet with Mr. Natasha-you're-hair-is-as-firey-as-your-personality, then I have to 'entertain' that stupid dealer -thanks a lot for that one Clint, then I go back in to the jet with Mr. that-dress-could-seduce-a-monk and now I come home to the hug fest? Ugh." Natasha's voice floated through the air. "So what's been going on here while I've been gone?"

"Nothing much, Thor ate all the pop tarts and now they know were married." I say smirking at Natasha before I pull her into a tight hug.

"Thank god I wasn't here for that. I'm not sure how much more sappiness I can take." She shudders mockingly.

Pepper came up and gave her a hug, whispering in her ear about needing details.

"So, how was your mission?" I ask pulling Nat down to sit between Pepper and I moments later.

"Nothing too challenging. I think the worst part was the ride with Agent Green." Her smirk lit up the room.


End file.
